. the brigade ' s third battalion — the 57th / 60th infantry battalion — did not join them until the beginning of may , and so the 7th brigade ' s 9th infantry battalion continued patrolling operations north of the hui ##o river , in the rum ##iki area , until the 57th / 60th could dispatch elements to relieve them . further inland , the 2 / 8th commando squadron advanced in a wide arc to the south @ - @ east , defending the brigade ' s left , or eastern , flank . the japanese forces opposing the australians belonged to the 6th division , under the command of lieutenant general ts ##uto ##mu akin ##aga . akin ##aga had been ordered to delay
. the brigade's third battalion — the 57th / 60th infantry battalion — did not join them until the beginning of may, and so the 7th brigade's 9th infantry battalion continued patrolling operations north of the huio river, in the rumiki area, until the 57th / 60th could dispatch elements to relieve them. further inland, the 2 / 8th commando squadron advanced in a wide arc to the south @ - @ east, defending the brigade's left, or eastern, flank. the japanese forces opposing the australians belonged to the 6th division, under the command of lieutenant general tsutomu akinaga. akinaga had been ordered to delay